LENNON'S SCRIBBLINGS, SONGS AUCTIONED WITH `WHO' GUITAR

Lennon's scribblings, songs auctioned with `Who' guitarA mock newspaper scribbled in a notebook by John Lennon at the age of 18 sold for nearly $22,500 at an auction of rock and pop music memorabilia, Sotheby's auctioneers said.

A flame-shaped bass guitar used by John Entwistle of "The Who" surprised bidders by selling for 15,000 pounds ($28,005) at Thursday's sale, which yielded a total of 188,694 pounds ($352,291).

Three manuscripts for songs by Lennon, who was shot to death in New York City in 1980 at the age of 40, also drew high prices.

In the four-page mock newspaper written in a school notebook, Lennon wrote nonsense and comic text and poetry and drew cartoons in crayon. It was called the Daily Howl and priced at 1 penny or "a halfpenny to the vicar."

Sotheby's called it an important stylistic landmark to be compared with Lennon's later works.

The Entwistle guitar one of 140 in his collection and five up for auction was sold to an unidentified buyer. The guitarist, who attended the auction, said he decided to put the instruments up for sale because they were taking up too much space in his house.

Lennon's manuscript lyrics for the 1964 song "If I Fell" were purchased by a California client for 7,800 pounds.